The National tribune., 1887-10-06
OUR CORRESPONDENTS.
Replies to Questions on Variety Of Interesting
Suhiects

Our readers requested To inclOse q stamp for
reply to their inquiries. Postal cards will be
replied to by mail only. Replies by mail will ordi-
narily be made within q week, and If in this coll
umn within three weeks.l
A. s.. Oronoqtse, Kan.-I. How long Is IL after the
Adjutant-General Is called upon for u report as TO
services of q soldier before il is given to the De
partment? 2 Can person. after making proof on
pre-emPtion enter a homestead, and after a resi-
dence Of six months make final proof Anssger. 1.
In few weeks. 2 Yes; but il would be better to
wait till he secures the title to land embraced in
the presumption.
w. @. c. Brooklyn " WAS a second-cIa ves-
sci in the United States service during 1863 and
1861 entitled to Paymasters Clerk and Steward?
What WAS the pay of each? Ansl0er. A vessel to
entitle Paymaster TO Clerk must have a COM
plement (Ofcers. and marines) Of at least I75
persons; excepting supply steamers and store yes
man. Prior to May 26, 1854, the pay depended
upon the class Of vessel. Second class, the Pay
Clerk received 500 and ration; the steward re-
ceved sS3 per month and ration. After that date
the Pay Clerk of q second class vessel received q
salary OF $500 q year, and the Steward SS3 per
MONTH
w. r. d., Aurora. Ind-was the law made by
the 18th Congress nullifying the charges of minor
desertons In certain eases applicable to Navy serv
ice? Ans,0er. You refer to the act of July 5, 1884
which removed the charge of desertion in certain
cases. but it pertains only TO the army. No relief
whatever has been afforded to deserters from the
navy by any act.
A. d.. Ness CITY Ran.-In making complaint of
one who mas made more than one homestead
pre-emptlon entry, 10 u necessary to give the State
County, Section, Township and Range; or has the
Land Office its own method OF ascertaining these?
Anst0sr. IL would be necessary in such a case for
the complainant to give full information regarding
the location of the land, otherwise it could not be
identified. The Land Office has no record whereby
such matter could be traced without a full de- .
scription of the land.
w. w r. Cendsnin, w. Va-Can woman whose
husband is living draw pension on account of her
son, who was killed In the late war? 4nsJUsr.
Yes. If otherwise entitled. IL is not necessary that
the father OF the soldier should be dead to entite
the mother TO pension. nor would the fact that the
Of ha~
title To pension. The main requirement would be
that she was dependent upon the soldier for sup
port at the date of his DEATH If So she be pen
stoned. There are number Of cases where the
father IS drawing an invalid pension, and the
mother q dependent pension.
"A soldier who had applied for pension
prior to 1870 died before il was granted His wife
being dead. will his children draw pension from
date of discharge TO date of their fathers death?
III so, will they have to prove their parents
riage? AnsUer. If the children were under Is
years of age the date of the soldiers death they
would oe enIiued 10 complete ms claim which was
pending at his death, and draw the pension he
would have been entitled to. They would have to
prove, in order to enttle them the pension, that
they were the legitimate children of the soldier
TO do this they would have TO prove the marriage
of their parents.
ID. d., LatOrelce. Mass-nIy husband, after three
years service. received SlG0 under the act of July
2s 1866. Was he entitled to another hundred under
the Of April y, 1872? Can J. his widow claim
It nowf AnsVer. The act Of April y, 1S72. does
not provide additional bounty in any case. IL was
only intended to apply to cases where no bounty
had been received. There is no further bounty due
on account of the services of your husband. He
received, in addition to the 500 original bounty.
SlO0 additional bounty, making 500 in all.
ID. M, ClGrks6ur0, hsd.-When a claim agent
or attorney files certificate of qualifications and
oath with the Secretary OF the Interior. does he
receive a license, IS he recognized without fur
ther notice from the Department? Ansger He
receives nothing from the Department after fling
his oath of office. and he is thereafter entitled to
prosecute claims before the Department.
.. A d.. Zion Station. Ry.-There are instances
reenrl la her
MIA have been enlisted and served all during the
entitled to pension for disability incurred in the
service? How will he rank? AHsaVeT. Yes. He
will rank Lieutenant.
j. y. w., Locust Valley, ~ VI. In what State
and between what points was the first railroad
built in the United States? 2. Were the slaves in
Tennessee made free by Lincoln's proclamation?
AnsUsr. l. The first railroad in the United States
was built in 1873 at Quincy. Mass, and called
the Quincey Railroad. 1t was constructed to carry
granite from the quarry of that place the nearest
Underwater. 2 The proclamation of the President
dated Jan. l. 1863. freed the slaves in such States
and parts OF states "a were IN rebellion against the
authority OF the United States. Tennessee WAS not
in rebellion not having seeded and consequently
was not included In the original proclamation. ON
Jan 81 Is65 the resolution for the constitutional
amendment abolishing slavery in all the States
was passed by Congress and subsequently con-
firmed by the Legislatures OF the requisite majority
of States. including Tennessee.
S. T.. O., Hoiton, Hich.-Are the heirs of soldiers
OF the war of loi2 entited to benefit of land
rant under act of ls55: Ans1rer. Not unless the
heirs" the children of the soldier and were
under q years Of age March 3. 1885.
y. I'll. e., E1cetst0T Springs. MOI gave my dis
charge to an attorney for use in prosecuting my
pension claim. He has neglected my case and re-
fuses to return me the discharge. How can get
it? ARSicsT. We answered your inquiry by mail,
and il WAS returned unclaimed. Mention the mat
ter to your District Attorney, and he will compel
him TO return your discharge. IL is against the
law To retain q soldiers discharge after he has
called for it.
SCI, Loek5ourns O--When was Abraham Lin
coin assassinated? ARstUer. On Good Friday, April
IA. 1865
C. W.R. Ackisy. Iosoc-Applied for pension in
the Spring of the year the arrears of pension law
took effect and executed declaration but applica-
ton was not filed till after June 80, 1880. Can
cover back payT Ahs'9sr. No; as your claim WAS
not fled In time-thRt is prior to July l. ISSO-no
back pension can be allowed
". II. H., Three Springs Pal. What rate of PEN
sion is allowed for three fourths disability 2.
Does the Commissioner allow the same rate as the
Examining Board? AHSBsr. l. Six dollars per
be more, and in others less.
IL. s., Monticello. Ky-The son of dependent
parents enlists and before being mustered ne dies
His mother soon afterward becoming a widow, ap-
plies for PENSION but is refused because the records
of the War Department fail to show that her son
had served in the company stated. Is there any
hope for her claim? Anst0er. The mother is not
entitled to pension for the that the records
do not show that her son ever in the U. s serv-
Ice. No pension Is now provided for persons who
were not regularly mustered into its service. Sec
1893 OF the Revised Statutes provides thar all
other persons, lncludink mlntl8men, nOn-enliSted
persons, etc, who contracted disabilities in the
service. should have an equal footing with those
who mustered in, but it was made obligatory
that all such claims should be prosecuted to a sue
cessful issue prior TO July l. 1874 after which time
they could not be considered.
r. M w., SheIbyUilie. IH.-A soldier after being
examined by n Board of Physicians is rejected.
Passing another examination under "A different
Board he 10 considered to be disabled After iii <
application with the Commissioner who orders
him before the Board who originally passed upon
his condition. he refuse and get an order to be
examined by the second Board above mentionedf
A5sSicer. Upon proper request from the claimant
setting forth the facts the Commissioner will prob
ably grant such request and order the claimant be-
fore some other Board.
A Subscriber Troy Mo-Can farEl that Is owned
by pensiOner. whose pension money purchased
same, be sold to satisfy debt contracted by the
We have answered this question many times In
our columns, and once more state that property
purchased with pension money Is the same as
property derived from any other source. IL is
liable to legal process for debt etc When the
Government pays pension money to q soldier il
releases Itself from any obli cation whatever and
the money thus received. proper purchased
Herewith, Is not exempt has il either any prV
leges over any other money or property purchased
or derived from any other source. la the State OF
Iowa, and possibly in one two other States the
Legislature has passed laws protecting such prop
ery from legal process and in such state States
only would such property be exempt. There is no
general law on the subject.
A. L.. Thdger. Io,Ca.-lIOw long a soldier be
absent frosn his homestead without imperiling his
rights theretOf 4HSWsr. The only advantage a
soldier his any other citizen is thas the L.; ter
must file his deciar'stOry intention in person. WIN
| a soldier may make entry through friend or
agent, and he Is allowed six months thereafter to
move upon the land and make settlement. A citi-
zen Is Obliged to reside upon a homestead Ave
wears from date of settlement while soldier can,
lfe II 49,, a